Stolen Memories
by hollywood-135
Summary: It's been five years since the end of Fire Lord Ozai. Most things are peaceful now, but when sudden tragedy strikes, Zuko and the gaang are thrown into yet another adventure, this one more dangerous than the last. Sequel to Lost, but Never Forgotten.
1. A Morning on the Beach

**A/N: This is **_**officially**_** the sequel to my other story, "Lost, But Never Forgotten". If you have not read that one, than this one may be very confusing. I suggest going and reading that one first! I am so excited to finally start this story! The plot bunnies have been eating at me for days, and I just now got the story outline written down on paper. So here goes nothing! Don't forget to review at the end and tell me what you think! Please? :)**

**Title: **"Stolen Memories"  
**Fandom: **Avatar: The Last Airbender**  
Pairing(s): **Zuko/Katara, OC/?,Sokka/OC, Aang/Toph**  
Rating: **T/PG-13 (Some romance here and there. Some mild violence. Possibly, a _tad_ bit worse then the show, but nothing drastic.)**  
Summary:** It's been five years since the end of Fire Lord Ozai. All is well and peaceful, aside from Raven's spontaneous lapses in memory. But when sudden tragedy strikes, and a few important people go missing soon after, Zuko and the rest of the group are thrown into another adventure. This time, coming home alive may be their biggest problem.

**Disclaimer: I own my OCs and the idea behind this particular story, not the actual A:TLA characters, plot, or settings. You've heard it before, you all get the idea. Blah Blah. This will be the only disclaimer. **

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**Chapter One.  
****" ****A Morning on the Beach**** "**

"I'm sorry. You said you were _who_ now?"

The Fire Lord sighed deeply. This may have been happening for years, but never did the frustration of having your best friend forget you ever go away. It wasn't her fault, oh no. It never was. If it weren't for the event that caused these constant lapses in memory, then neither of them would have been standing on this marble flooring. "Zuko. My name is Zuko."

The woman sitting in the red, velvet chair across from him frowned slightly and narrowed her mismatched eyes. She met his gaze briefly, only to break the eye contact and give the man a quick once-over. She looked back at him with a skeptical look in her eye. "And you said we're best friends?"

Zuko nodded wearily, having been through this conversation at least five times in the past month.

"Well then how come I don't know you? I think I'd know my best friend when I saw them!" She threw her arms up in exasperation.

"I would've thought so too." Zuko mumbled to himself. "Listen, Raven." He spoke now directly to her. "I have some work to go do, and it _is_ getting sort of late, so why don't you sleep on this and talk to me in the morning?" He walked away from her and out of the door before giving the stubborn girl a chance to protest. As he shut the heavy wooden rectangle behind him, he took a deep, steadying breath and closed his eyes tightly shut. Through the door, he could hear Raven pacing back and forth, her hard-soled shoes clacking gently against the room's floor.

Come morning when he saw her in the dining room, she would greet him as if nothing had happened. He would have his best friend back for the time being and Raven wouldn't remember a thing of the night before.

_**X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X**_

Ty Lee sat in the palace garden, legs folded underneath her body, leaning on the rocks surrounding the little pond. She gazed silently into it, a small contented smile on her face. It was so peaceful here now. Azula and her father had always made the palace grounds tense and worrisome, but now that they were gone and Zuko ruled, it had regained its previous calm atmosphere.

The brown-haired woman sighed happily as she flicked her hand through the pale blue water, watching the ripples move quickly away. It had been a total of five years since Aang had taken down Fire Lord Ozai. Five peaceful, content, calm years. The world outside wasn't much different then this garden, Ty Lee mused silently. Sure, every once and a while some birds may get into a squabble and squawk at each other in indignation, but sooner or later they settled the problem. Maybe someone would settle it for them. Fire Lord Zuko had seemed to take his role as the highest authority in the Fire Nation so easily. So much better than his father had used the title. Zuko didn't rule with fear or hatred, but kindness and justice. He was fit for the role. Ty-Lee, like so many others, admired the man for his fantastic job.

Speaking of the man, Ty Lee turned to face him as he walked up behind her. "Well hello there!"

He nodded in acknowledgement. "Evening, Ty Lee."

"Are you alright, my lord?" She asked, sensing that the man had something to say to her, but he hesitated.

Instead of answering, he frowned at her. "What have I told you about that?"

"Sorry, my lo- I mean…" She took a deep breath. "Sorry Zuko. You know it's hard sometimes to remember not to call you by your honorific. I get so used to doing it in public."

Zuko sighed. "You're like a sister, and you shouldn't even have to say it in public." He frowned again, and went silent.

"Um… Zuko?" Ty Lee waited until he looked at her before continuing. "Are you alright?"

She had a genuine concerned look on her face that Zuko couldn't ignore, no matter how much he wanted to. "She forgot again." He mumbled to the ground.

Ty Lee had to strain to hear the words clearly, but when they registered, her look of concern increased ten-fold. The lapses in Raven's memory had been occurring since she returned with Zuko those five or so years ago. After using so much power to fight off Azula, being in some sort of coma for two weeks, and then waking up not remembering the night of the fight- or the people included, Zuko had almost given up hope completely. But the day he was planning on leaving the South Pole again, Raven had suddenly been enlightened with remembrance, and returned with Zuko to the Fire Nation, both of them ecstatic.

A month after their return, Raven and Zuko- along with a few other semi-important people, had been having a fancy dinner. In the middle of dessert, Raven had suddenly stopped moving, staring off into space and dropping her fork onto her plate, causing a large clang and drawing everyone's attention to her. In the silence that came after, Zuko had worriedly grabbed her shoulder and asked her what was wrong. The teen had jumped in supposed fright, looked at Zuko in confusion, and asked him back:

"Who are you?"

Zuko hadn't heard the uproar from the others, and could only stare at his oldest friend in a mixture of concern, confusion, hurt, and disbelief. The incident at dinner was only the first of many memory losses to occur in the next few years. It happened at the most random times, and as the months passed, they progressed to last longer, happen more often, and become more dangerous.

The memory loss tonight would make three in the past two weeks.

Zuko had been devastated, especially when, the morning after that first dinner, Raven had walked up to him in greeting without any recollection of night before. It had been as if nothing had happened to her at all.

Now that the woman was used to having them, she understood that the big blank spots in her memory were the lapses she often had. She could now quite accurately tell when it was she had _had_ them, but still could never warn of when the next was going to happen.

And as of late, Raven had been forgetting things from her past. Little events that had happened when she was little. Completely.

Now, even _she_ was beginning to worry. And that, in turn, affected Zuko more than anything else did.

"Zuko…" Ty Lee trailed off, not quite knowing the words to say. Everyone always supported him and tried to make him feel better with consoling words. 'She'll get better soon.' 'It will all turn out alright.' And so on. Ty Lee knew none of them really helped. Instead, they merely reminded Zuko to put on a smiling face for the public, no matter how fake that smile was.

So Ty Lee switched the subject a bit as smoothly as possible, hoping to cheer the man up as much as she could. "She'll be herself tomorrow, then. That's what's important."

The corner of Zuko's mouth turned upwards in an almost-there smile. "Right. I suppose that's true. Her lapses never happen so close together. Not two days in a row."

"And never overnight." Ty Lee smiled. Mission accomplished.

Zuko looked at the brunette happily. "Thank you." He whispered to her after a moment's consideration. Ty Lee just nodded. Zuko turned and walked towards his sleeping quarters, with a slight smile that wouldn't seem to go away. "Good night, Ty-Lee."

"Good night, Zuko."

_**X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X**_

He awoke to a feeling of invasion. Invasion of his personal space, that is.

"Ah!"

"_Shush_!"

Zuko struggled slightly with the hand that placed itself over his mouth, effectively cutting off his yell of fright. His sleep laden eyes finally focused on the figure above him, and he froze. Raven had a wide smile on her face, eyes sparkling with mirth and her free hand poised with her pointer finger in front of her mouth, making the universal quiet down sign. Amber eyes narrowed at her, emitting a quiet laugh from her throat. She stood, climbing off of him, and extended a hand to help him up in turn. Zuko, instead of taking it, rolled over in his bed and groaned.

"Oh come on, you lazy butt. It's your birthday!"

"What kind of birthday surprise wakes me up this early?" Zuko mumbled from the pillow.

"The kind that guards don't need to know about." Raven whispered back.

This made the Fire Lord sit up. "You're kidding." Raven shook her head. "What is it?"

"Well, that wouldn't make it much of a surprise now, would it?" Zuko frowned in stubbornness. Raven sighed. "Alright, fine." She paused and looked out the window of his room. It had a beautiful view of the water beyond, the early morning light just now shining off of it and giving a stunning glare. It highlighted the colors, a truly magnificent sunrise. Still looking at the view, Raven continued. "When was the last time we went to the beach?"

"We can do that with guards, you know…"

"It's not the same. You didn't have guards when you were little. We used to go there every day! Just the two of us…" She glanced back at him, excitement in her eyes and that contagious smile on her face. "The beach was _our_ place. The memories we have there! Shouldn't we take the opportunity to make some more? I have to be all proper around you when you have your guards." She made a disgusted face at the word 'proper', making Zuko laugh slightly.

He got up and smiled at his friend. "Fine."

_**X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X**_

It took awhile to sneak past the guards on watch around the palace gates, but they made it through quick enough to have ample time to relax. Raven ran out to the shoreline, teasing the waves with her bare toes, and grinning in satisfaction. She turned to look over her shoulder at Zuko, who had sat down on a log some distance away. She walked over close to him and fell back to lie in the sand, side by side with the log.

She stared contentedly up at the sky. He looked wistfully out over the water. The two of them sat like that in a peaceful silence for a little while, until Raven looked over a Zuko's face, noticing a bit of sadness beginning to creep into the features there.

"You're thinking about her."

Zuko huffed and smiled gently. "Am I really that obvious?"

"Yes." She stated right away. "You know she'd like to be here. It's too bad she couldn't make it this year. I was starting to tolerate her snobbish attitude."

"Katara is not that snobbish."

"Not to you… she loves you. To everyone else, though, she comes on a little too strong. She's overprotective."

"She just cares." Zuko defended his girlfriend.

"_Too_ _much._" Zuko glared at her through his peripheral vision. "Hey, hey." Raven held up her hands in mock surrender. "She loves you, you love her, and I won't stand in the way of that. As long as _you're_ happy, I wouldn't give a damn if she was a crazed murderer." She paused. "Well, okay that's a lie, but you get my meaning." They both laughed.

They were quiet again after the laughter died out. The waves of the ocean and the occasional sound of a bird the only things breaking the silence.

"I had another lapse last night, didn't I?"

Zuko was silent, his happy features turning down into concern and sadness as he looked at Raven. "Yes." He mumbled.

"Can I tell you something?" Zuko nodded. "One of the main reasons I wanted to come out here was to make sure that I didn't forget the memories of _this_ place. I don't know what I'd do if I forgot this." She looked about ready to cry, and Zuko deeply hoped she wouldn't. He didn't cope well with tears. He didn't know what to say in return to that, anyway.

As if reading his mind, Raven spoke again. "You don't have to answer to that. I just wanted to get it out." She stood, traces of sadness disappearing as she looked into the water. "I have an idea!"

Zuko watched in confusion as Raven suddenly ran towards the water's edge and began waterbending. As the water hit the dry sand, it froze, becoming ice. When he realized she was making some sort of ice sculpture, he jumped up and ran closer, examining it as it began to take shape.

"Is it a person?"

"Yup. It will be." She answered.

After a few more minutes, it became clear to him who exactly it was. "Katara…?" He guessed, holding back a chuckle.

Raven nodded, laughing. "It's supposed to be.." The shape was vaguely human form, wearing a quite accurate looking parka for the cold down in the South Pole. The hood was down, and 'Katara's' hair was pinned in its usual way, the rest flowing down her back. The face, however, was badly misshapen. The eyes were here and there, the mouth and nose twisted in an abnormal way, and her ears were very large.

"If she saw this… she would be very mad." Zuko chuckled, unable to hold it back this time.

"That was sort of the point." She walked over and grabbed the sculpture's chin. She looked at Zuko and made a kissy face. "Come on! Who wouldn't want to kiss _this_ face?"

Zuko joined into the laughter. "We… should probably… head back." He struggled to speak through his laughs. "They may be looking for me already."

Raven nodded, and the two walked side by side back to the palace.

"So… twenty-one years old, huh? How's it feel to be so old?"

"I'm the same age as you. You just called yourself old, you know."

Raven laughed. "I've accepted my age… just trying to see how long it will take you to accept yours. You're getting older!" She paused. "You're two years older than Katara, now. She goes for older men, huh?"

Zuko shot her a withering glance, but it had no outright affect on her. "Very funny."

"You're lucky she does."

"…Yeah. I am."

_**X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X**_

**A/N: Wow. I finished this a lot quicker than I thought I would. Other chapters should be a little longer. I think. But none will be near as short as the first few chapter of Lost, But Never Forgotten were. *****Shudders* I can't believe I wrote those. Haha…**

**Anyway. I shall be making no promises on updates like those that I made last time. I just get too wracked with guilt when I can't live up to the promise, and I know I disappoint my readers. So I'll just say that you'll be seeing me again soon :) Hope you liked. Real plot will come in the next chapter. **

**Review? **


	2. An Unpleasant Surprise

**A/N:**** I like to reply to reviews, so if you give me one, then I'll write you back! If I don't get back to you right away, or if I miss you somehow, then I'm terribly sorry! I'm going to start dedicating chapters to those reviewers who either give some awesome advice, stick around a lot, or I can even tell people to go to your profile to read your fics… :D Does anyone even read these? Because I do… **

**Onwards with what you all came here for! **

**(Okay wait… I feel as though I should put another disclaimer for the use of the poem in the beginning here. I do not own at **_**all**_** any poem or song that shows up before an actual chapter (and this goes for future ones, as well), unless otherwise noted. I find them on the internet. ^-^ thank you) **

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We have been friends together  
In sunshine and in shade,  
Since first beneath the chestnut trees,  
In infancy we played.  
But coldness dwells within thy heart,  
A cloud is on thy brow;  
We have been friends together,  
Shall a light word part us now?

…We have been sad together;  
We have wept with bitter tears  
O'er the grass-grown graves where slumbered  
The hopes of early years.  
The voices, which are silent there  
Would bid thee clear thy brow;  
We have been sad together.  
Oh, what shall part us now?

**~Caroline Norton**

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_**Chapter Two:  
****"****An Unpleasant Surprise****"**_

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"Birthdays, birthdays… You're 21 years old! Holy crud, you're _a geezer_!" Ty-Lee shouted across the dining hall at her royal friend.

"What is it with everyone saying that? It's not _that_ old." Zuko replied, frown beginning to form on his face.

Raven giggled from the chair next to him. "You'll be this age in a few years, Ty-Lee. I wouldn't be saying that if I were you. It's kind of rude…"

"You were saying it this morning!" Zuko yelled at her.

"Yeah, well, I'm the best friend. I get away with everything." Raven shrugged as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Zuko sighed. "Of _course_ you do."

"Oh, just eat your cake." Raven responded with a huff.

"Can't argue with that." Ty-Lee stated. "This cake is heaven. I haven't had this many sweets in a long time, which is very unusual for me..."

"I couldn't imagine. With you so hyper all the gosh darn time, I would've thought that sugar was all you ever eat. I never knew someone could be that happy every minute of every day." Raven muttered. "Alas, you've proven me wrong."

"Well _someone_ has to be cheery. You two are the king and queen of stoic and solitary sometimes. Everyone steers clear of the both of you whenever you have a little tiff. You haven't noticed?" Ty-Lee asked.

Raven and Zuko just stared at her. They narrowed their eyes and scowled at the same time, making Ty-Lee squeak in fear. Then the two of them looked at each other, noticed the identical facial expressions, and simultaneously burst out laughing.

"Alright, alright. Maybe you've got a point there." Raven admitted.

Zuko nodded in agreement. "Are we that much alike?"

"Pretty much." Ty-Lee smiled.

"That's not much of a reassurance." Zuko added under his breath.

"_Hey!_" Raven shouted, hearing the muttered words of her friend. "What is _that_ supposed to mean? Being like me should be an honor! Its being like _you_ that's got me worried!"

"Being like _me_? I'm the leader of a nation! Shouldn't that be more of an honor? I'm royalty!"

"I may not be royalty, but I get treated like I am. So, I get the benefits of your leadership without having to do all of the dirty work. You have paperwork and official Fire Lord Business to take care of. All I have to do is lounge around and reap the benefits of being your best friend. It's the life!"

"You're a moocher is what you are. I wouldn't want to fall that low in life."

"At least _I_ know how to enjoy life! All you do in your free time is _read_! Who does that but anti-social people who don't know what else to do with their pathetic lives?"

"_Pathetic_? Is that what you call being the best ruler a nation has ever had? _Pathetic_?"

"When that's all they do is sit on their throne and order people around, yes! _Pathetic_!"

"I can't believe you would—"

"Can't you two just _eat_ your _cake _and behave like_ normal _friends?" Ty-Lee screamed.

The two quarrelers were quiet at once. They picked up their forks and started eating in silence, eyes downturned and apologetic.

"Sorry, Ty-Lee."

"Yes, Ty-Lee."

The brunette heaved in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "Much better."

The three ate in pleasurable silence for a while, peaceful for the time being. After Zuko had finished his first piece of cake, Raven was halfway through her first, and Ty-Lee was on her second already. As the brunette practically swallowed the second whole, and then went back for a third, the other two occupants of the room watched her in awe.

Zuko opted to start speaking, mumbling questionably, "How…?" To which Raven just shook her head in wonder.

"I don't know."

Ty-Lee finished her third, wiped her mouth daintily with a napkin, and stood. She looked at her friends, completely unaware of their wonderment, and bowed slightly. "I think I'll be going now. I have a few things I'd like to get done before the day is up." With that said, she walked out of the dining room swiftly.

The two stared at where she had just been standing for a few moments, speechless. "Well that was a bit weird." Raven started.

"What could she possibly have to get done that will take her the rest of the day?"

"It is already midday."

"That is still a lot of time… I wonder if we should follow her." Zuko suggested.

"Nah…" Raven shook her head. "It's no big deal. Maybe she has some super secret birthday surprise for you. Or, you know, she could be the leader of some secret society that plans to overthrow you and she had to go finalize the plans to kill you tonight while you're sleeping."

Zuko didn't know what scared him more. The thought of Ty-Lee actually being the leader of a conspiracy group, or the fact that Raven had suggested it with a completely straight face. "Uh…"

Raven looked him in the eye. "You may want to get some extra guards around your room tonight, just in case."

After a few seconds of silence, Zuko muttered his reply. "You know, you can be really scary sometimes."

Raven smiled. "You know I'm kidding. Ty-Lee is way too innocent. I think we'd all die from shock if what I said were actually true!"

"Definitely." Zuko took another bite of his second piece. The white cake was good, but the chocolate frosting on top was a little too much for him to handle, and even thinking of taking another bite was giving him a stomachache.

Thankfully, he received a distraction from said cake. The door on the far end of the room, opposite the one from which Ty-Lee had excited, opened and in walked one of the Fire Nation soldiers. The man had a small piece of paper in his hands, and was moving directly towards the table they were sitting at. When the soldier stopped at the edge of it, across the seat Zuko was sitting in, the Fire Lord straightened.

The soldier spoke. "An important message for you, my lord."

"Go right ahead. I'm listening—"

"_No._ No, he is not listening. It's his birthday, and nobody is going to bother him with trivial Fire Lord Business things. You got that? So just leave."

"Raven… I can't just quit being Fire Lord for a day." Zuko turned back to the soldier who had spoken first. "Please, relay the message to me."

Raven sighed and spoke again before the soldier could get a word out. "Zuko, listen. I know you don't think you can have a break, but you can. I say you take that break now. It's your day! Come on! Finish your cake!"

Zuko fixed her a stern glare. "No."

Raven sighed again, but this time in defeat. "Fine. Soldier, speak this 'oh so important' message that is urgent enough to be brought up before the Fire Lord on this day of celebration."

The soldier gulped, obviously having second thoughts. He took a deep breath and began. "A few days ago, there was a scuffle in the royal prison hold, as you know." Zuko nodded in conformation. "Well, as of today, there are accounts of two prisoners missing from their cells." The soldier stopped there.

"…And? Do you have their identities? Are there people searching for them already? How much of a threat are these escapees?" Zuko asked calmly.

"Their identities were not given to me, sir. I have heard of no search parties, yet. And the threat is not large, so says the warden."

Zuko shrugged. "Then let's just wait it out. Make sure the warden gets the message that he needs to send out at least one search party for the escapees to make sure they are found and brought back to the hold. I expect to be updated of the proceedings on this case. Dismissed."

The soldier bowed briefly before turning on his heel and exiting the way he came.

"That was _so_ not important enough to disturb you." Raven muttered.

"You want my cake?"

"Dear lord, I can't even finish this piece."

"But that one is your _first_! You couldn't even finish one?"

"No… not all of us are like Ty-Lee. Jeez." Raven frowned. She changed the subject. "So, you're not worried at all about these prison breakers?"

Zuko shook his head. "Not really. As long as the warden says they aren't of high threat then we shouldn't have anything to be worried about."

"Good. That's good and all, but what if the warden is wrong?" At Zuko's questioning glance, she elaborated. "Everyone in the prison did something to get themselves in there, right? So, I think we should at least find out what it was those escapees got in there for. They may have made good graces with the warden, but they could be a crazed psychopath in the first place. The warden wouldn't necessarily know those things. How could he, with a hundred inmates? He couldn't know _all_ of them."

Zuko thought it over. "You've got a point, Raven."

"Of course I have a point."

Zuko glared at her playfully. "I'll see to it that the names of those two are delivered to me immediately, as well as their information. But for now, I think I want to celebrate my birthday."

"That's the spirit!" Raven grinned at her childhood friend.

"Now, finish your cake."

"Wait, what? You finish yours!"

"I'm the Fire Lord. I don't have to. But _as_ the Fire Lord, I order you to finish your first piece."

Raven grumbled as she picked up her fork and stabbed her cake brutally. "You're so mean…"

_**X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X**_

Zuko was in shock. Pure and utter shock. "I thought you said that these escapees were of no threat?" He breathed, too stunned to sound half as angry as he should have been.

The soldier, who was the same one that had come to deliver the message of the prison break two days previous, seemed to notice that the Fire Lord was on thin ice at the moment. He had to word this perfectly, or else the blame would be put on him, and although the current Fire Lord was not as cruel as the previous, the newly twenty-one year old could be quite terrifying at times. The soldier had heard stories from people who had been on the receiving end of that wrath, and he sure as heck did not want to become one of those people with a story to tell. He took a deep breath. "The warden strongly cautions that you need to put the area on high alert. The escapees are supposedly highly dangerous targets. There are a few search parties out now, and the warden says that by the end of the day, the escapees should be back in their cells."

"I was told that these escapees were of no threat. _Two days_ ago." Zuko growled. "Whoever they are, they could have done some serious damage within two days."

"My… apologies, my lord." The soldier mumbled.

Zuko sighed deeply, hand sliding down his face in exasperation and tiredness. "What were their names? Did you at least get that information for me?"

"N-no sir. My apologies once more. The warden would not release the information to me."

"Did you happen to tell the warden that the information was wanted by the Fire Lord?" Zuko blanched.

"U-uh… I-I guess not."

"Then go do that now."

"Y-yes sir."

"Not needed." The new voice came from directly behind the soldier, making the man jump slightly in fright. Raven had appeared at his back soundlessly, no doubt coming in from the same door as the soldier himself had walked through. Her tone had been scathing, fierce, and angry.

Her black hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. The bangs were pulled out of her face, showing off her mismatched eyes to the world. She only did so when she wanted to intimidate someone, and Zuko knew this for a fact, making him quite suspicious as to Raven's whereabouts for the day. Her arms were crossed over her chest and a deep scowl was imprinted onto her face. "You wouldn't believe the little tidbit of information I picked up today, Zuko. It was very surprising. Considering, that this was quite a big lie." She sang out the next bit in a sickly sweet voice, shocking the other two inhabitants of the room into a tense silence as said man was dragged in by two other soldiers. "Oh, _Warden_?"

The warden was an old, hardened man who looked as though he had hit nothing but the rough bumps in life's long, winding road. He had graying hair that had once been a lighter brown, wrinkles deeply etched onto his forehead and cheeks, and bags underneath his eyes. He looked worn down and tired, different then the strong awareness and authority that the man's aura usually held. When the soldiers let go off him, he sunk to his knees in front of Zuko, head bowed and hands clasped together in prayer.

"Why don't you tell the Fire Lord what the escapee's names are, warden? Maybe then we can get on with things." Raven growled.

Zuko shot her a worried glance, hidden from the others by the suspicion and anger directed to the warden at his feet. Raven just shook her head at him, sending him a message to just listen to what the man had to say. Zuko directed his gaze to the warden, who had just begun to speak.

"I had no idea what to say… I just didn't want anything to happen to me… I was just—"

But Raven cut him off. "Enough with the pitiful chitter-chatter. If you wanted someone to sympathize with you, you've come to the wrong place. You shouldn't have hid any of this behind lies and reassurances. You would have gotten off better without doing so."

"The escapees… they were strong. Our search parties found them the first day, but the two of them teamed up and killed all of our soldiers and guards. All but one… sent him back with a warning. Saying that if we wanted to get off alive, then we would lie to the Fire Lord and say that they were of no threat. They wanted us to fake the names and crimes. To make you not worry…"

"Oh, for God sakes, man. Just tell him what the names of the escapees are!" Raven yelled.

The warden flinched violently. "Th-the-they… I-I… A-Az—"

"Azula and your father." Raven muttered, defeated, tired of waiting for the warden to blurt out the names. "The escapees were Azula and Ozai." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. When she opened them, she was looking at the soldiers who had dragged in the warden. "Take him back to the prison. Just… just keep an eye on him for a while. Further orders will come soon."

The soldiers nodded and grabbed hold of the now sobbing man, practically having to drag him once more, leading him out of the door and back the way they had come. Raven nodded to the other soldier, the deliverer of the message, and he left swiftly as well.

With that done, Raven glanced back to Zuko, only to find that his eyes were trained on her. Both adults were blocking out the warden's still hearable yells of 'forgive me, forgive me'.

"No." Zuko said simply, disbelief written clearly in his eyes.

Raven sighed wearily. "I'm afraid so. They're more capable than any other is, when it comes to traveling far in two days. They'll be long gone by now. I don't know what they think they could achieve, though. I really don't. Your father doesn't even have his bending to use."

"He doesn't, but my sister does. And my father still has some of his followers. He'll be able to find _someone_ who would help him with anything. Even fight against the current Fire Lord and his soldiers…" Zuko trailed off in deep thought. "This is a problem."

"I don't see what the threat is, other than the fact that your sister is crazy." Zuko gave her an incredulous look. "I'm serious!" Raven threw up her hands in expression.

"You can't be. You just can't. You don't see the threat? My sister is enough, but you are underestimating the power my father still has, no matter how long he's been out of the public eye."

Raven shook her head. "Sorry, Zuko. But I think the best plan of action would be to stay put and wait for them to make the first move. That is, if they make a move at all. You know, it's possible that they just wanted to escape and hide. They may not have any plans of 'ultimate doom'." Raven smiled and wiggled her eyebrows in laughter.

Zuko narrowed his eyes at her. "Look at you, smiling. Are you serious? This is not a laughing matter, Raven. This could be life or death for someone! This could be putting the entire nation in danger! And you're laughing and smiling like there is nothing wrong!" He spat.

Raven immediately sobered, and spoke her next words sternly. "I didn't say nothing was wrong. And I'm not trying to insinuate that those two aren't dangerous. I'm merely stating a few possibilities as to why they chose now to escape and what we should be doing against it."

"Well, it didn't sound that way to me at all. I'm sick of your constant disregard for my duty! I have to take the safest option here, and that would be for me to find them, as soon as possible, not wait around for them to make what could be a very dangerous move for us!" Zuko yelled. He scowled down at the woman in front of him, anger seeping through his eyes, glaring at her.

Raven went silent. After a few seconds, she started up again in a whisper. "Take a chill pill, Zuko. I think we both need one."

Zuko did not heed the warning. "I think you should just come away from your stupid ideas about letting them be! Be sensible! Think _straight_ for goodness sakes!"

"I _am_ thinking straight, thank you very much." Raven replied, breathing deeply and trying to stay calm.

"If that's what you think, then maybe I made a grave mistake making you my advisor." Zuko growled.

"If you're not even going to consider my opinion, then maybe I made a mistake accepting the offer!" Raven screeched right back. "Get down off of your high horse and think of other people every once and a while! You're so selfish sometimes!"

"_Selfish_?" Zuko cried out in disbelief. "Sometimes I think I would have been better off at this job without you coming back home with me!"

Raven froze with her mouth open, about to retort. Her eyes downturned in hurt. After a little longer in silence, she looked up at Zuko. However, as soon as they connected eyes, her face became devoid of all emotion. Blankly, she stared at the wall over his shoulder instead.

Oblivious to the change, Zuko just continued. "Maybe you should just leave the palace! Go back to the Water Tribe!" He bellowed to the echoing walls, making him louder than he was before. His face was still alight in furiousness.

"The… Water Tribe…" Raven mumbled, blinking rapidly and shifting to meet eyes with Zuko. "You want me to go there?"

"_Yes._ Just _leave_!" Zuko rasped.

"O-okay." The woman whispered in confusion. She turned to the exit and started walking. Once she got about five steps from the door, though, she turned back around and asked, "If you don't mind answering… um… w-why are you making me leave? Are you angry with me?"

Zuko stared with one eyebrow raised. His scowl grew nastier. "Of course I'm mad at you! Did you not just hear what I said?"

"Fine! I-I just don't understand why…" She turned and walked out of the door, mumbling one last thing to herself that she thought Zuko would not hear.

However, Zuko did hear it, and it filled him with a load of dread.

"I don't even _know_ you."

_**X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X-x-x-x-X**_

**A/N: Don't take this the wrong way, because I ****greatly**** appreciate all of the favorites and alerts on my stories and such :) But, it angers me when people favorite or alert, yet do not review. If you have time to read and fave, then why not just say a few words to let me know what you liked? **

**^^Pointing out any grammar mistakes would be welcome, too. I don't have a beta. Any inconsistencies between the story and the show (especially in terms of the palace/prison workings and such) are not really intentional, just my mind going all creative-like…**

**Anyway, hope you liked this chapter! (Had a lot of dialogue, I noticed.) Next one does include the rest of the gaang. (Such long author notes I have….)**

**Review? **


	3. Distractions and Destinations

**A/N: *****ahem*** I suppose it's been a long enough wait for this… Completely lost interest. Got some time. Read the entire Lost, But Never Forgotten. Felt like writing something for this. Hopefully I can get back into writing this, but don't expect chapters to come quickly. School is murder lately.

Chapter dedicated to anyone that has reviewed/alerted this story (especially if you come back and review this one…) Internet cookies for you! I understand if I have no readers left!

Enjoy the next chapter!

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**~Chapter Three:  
Distractions and Destinations**

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Zuko was shocked still for the second time in a half hour. Only this time, the shock was far greater and weighted down with much more disbelief. Horror. That's what was shining in his eyes as he gazed at the spot on the floor where Raven had previously been standing.

_What have I just done?_

He rushed to stand.

"Sir?" Someone had entered the room from the far door. "You have a few visitors from the village that would like to speak with you."

Zuko let out a frustrated breath. "Now really isn't the best time. I have something urgent I need to get done at this moment. Tell them to come back tomorrow."

"I'm afraid that can't be arranged, my lord." The soldier interrupted Zuko's escape. "They come from a pretty far nation, and have to be back on the road later today. It would be very unwise to push them away and have them come here for nothing. "

The Fire Lord scowled. "Can they wait twenty minutes?"

"I shall pass on the message that you will be with them within the hour, sir."

"Thank you." Zuko continued his rush out of the doors and turned the way to which Raven had gone. From there, the hallways branched off and had many different pathways that the woman may have gone down. Taking a random jump, Zuko decided to try her bedroom first. He smashed the door open without any regard as to the privacy of anyone who might have been inside - not that anyone but Raven was permitted to go into the room, that is. Finding it empty, Zuko grunted in frustration. He spun around and paced in the hallway for moment, trying to think of another place she might have gone with her memory-less mind.

The beach maybe? He began walking toward the palace's exit as soon as the thought struck him. It would make sense for her to find a boat, if she had listened to what he had told her. Go to the South Pole, Raven. He hadn't meant to yell at her. He was just angry and high-strung about what had happened with Azula and Ozai, and he had taken it out on the only other person in the room. Regret and guilt filled his mind. What had he done?

As much as the two of them fought, never had it been serious or meaningful. They play-fought with each other like friends, but they knew neither of them actually meant what they were saying. And if they did mean it at the time, it was always forgiven later on. Never had they actually had a fight that had lasting repercussions for more than two days. This one however, might break that record.

Not that Raven had necessarily meant it. As much as Zuko wanted someone to blame for her lapses in memory, it wasn't Raven's fault, and he knew it. She blamed herself. She always blamed it on her performing her double ability in the fight with Azula five and a half years ago. This particular memory lapse had just happened at the opportune moment to make their little scuffle that much worse.

He had to find her before she did anything drastic with her lost mind. Like leave for the South Pole.

Alone.

He turned another corner in the hallway and ran head on into Ty-Lee, who had been barreling around the corner herself. "Ty-Lee? What are you doing going so fast?"

"Looking for you of course! I heard about the warden and his good for nothing lies! So what are we going to do about your rotten family members? We have to find them, right?"

"That's what I said…" Zuko mumbled to himself. It was exactly what had gotten him mad at Raven in the first place. Then he remembered what he was doing. He spoke back to Ty-Lee. "Yes. I'll be sure to make it a top priority as soon as I get back. If you'll excuse me." He made to move around her, but she caught his arm in a vice grip before he could get very far.

"I don't think so. I don't know where you're going, but we have some work to do, mister. There are some very nice people in the meeting hall that have come from a very far away place, and they would very much like to meet with you as soon as humanly possible. So come on." Ty-Lee dragged Zuko back the way he had come, the opposite direction from which he would like to have gone.

"Look, Ty-Lee. I already know about the people that have come here to see me, but I really need to get something else done first. I told the other messenger that came to get me to tell them I'd be there within the hour, so I'll see to it that I do so. You can leave me be."

"Uh-uh. You're coming with me now. No excuses."

"Ty-Lee—"

"_No_."

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Raven walked out of the palace's dining room in a huff. Back to the Water Tribe, huh? Is that what he wanted? Well than fine. Back to the Water Tribe she would be going. Maybe along the way she could figure out what exactly why she had been thrown out of there in the first place. All she knew was that the guy had been madder than mad at her. For what?

No idea. Whatsoever.

Alas, he seemed to be of higher authority, and so she decided to comply with the 'order' so to speak. It wasn't as if she knew anyone else here. Why was she here in the first place? Funny… she couldn't remember how she had gotten into the palace at all. She couldn't even remember getting up this morning.

Shaking it off, Raven continued her stroll to the banks of the beach. She didn't exactly know where she was going, but her feet seemed to have a mind of their own, and she soon found herself in front of a small boat. It sat on the edge of the beach looking alone and lost along the other, larger ones in the distance. It wouldn't be enough to travel all the way to the South Pole, but it would suffice in carrying her to one of the larger ships that was docked farther out in the water.

As she stepped inside of it hesitantly, she gazed at the water underneath. Pausing and looking at her reflection briefly, she shook off a random thought that she couldn't decipher.

_I wonder if Katara will be mad that I'm not bringing Zuko with me._

Grabbing on to one of the oars, she set out to the group of ships farther out. She couldn't have been thirty feet from where she had pushed off when someone back on shore called out to her. Raven twisted to look at the voice. Its owner was standing close by, but she couldn't see the person's face at all. The figure was wearing a long black cloak that touched the ground at their feet, with a hood that hid their face from view. Raven frowned. That was suspicious.

"Who are you?" She called out to them.

She received no answer but a hand that gestured for her to come closer to shore. Although wary, she complied to the request, her curiosity overriding her suspicions. She came within ten feet of the person before her boat grounded. Raven stepped out of it cautiously and finished her trek to the stranger's side. Once within a reasonable distance, she asked her question again. "Who are you?"

"That is not important to you." She could tell by the voice that the figure was a man. He sounded older, and was calm and concise in his words. Confident. He pulled back his hood to reveal a haggard, old face surrounded by shaggy, unkempt black hair. He looked repulsing to Raven, and she backed up a few steps in shock.

"Well then what is important to me?" Raven retorted.

"You need to leave this nation, but you cannot go to the South Pole like the Fire Lord told you to."

_So that was the Fire Lord. I knew he seemed authoritative. _Raven pondered as the man spoke. _But how would I have known the Fire Lord? And why was I in the palace with him? _The answer to one question just made so many more pop into her head unanswered. It wasn't fair!

"You need to go to Ba Sing Sae. An earth village. They will help you to regain the memories that you have lost. They will help you figure out what it is you need to get done."

"Ba Sing Sae? I don't know where that is."

"Almost straight East. You'll find help along the way. But don't stop unless you need to."

"Don't stop unless I need to…? Why not? Wait! _Hey_! Come back! I'm not done talking with you!"

The man had begun to walk away, swiftly, and did not turn back to acknowledge Raven's insistence one bit. He was gone within twenty seconds. Raven took a deep breath and let it out with a heavy sigh.

"Fine then. Ba Sing Sae you want? Ba Sing Sae it is. I want my memories back." With a fierce determination in her eyes, Raven waded back to her mini boat and continued paddling to the larger ones. As she came closer to the major ships, she paused and looked at them each in turn. _Which one to take? _She looked back and forth between a few before catching a glimpse of the tail end of one hidden behind another. Intrigued, she paddled viciously until she had it in full view.

The sight of it in all its beauty humbled her. For some reason, it called out to her, and hit her straight in the heart. She that felt longing for this ship, although she couldn't fathom where that longing would have come from. She had never been on a boat in her life. Right? She circled it a few times, and on her third go around, she found herself staring at an insignia on the ship's hull with a significant feeling of belonging. It was the shape of a bird in flight- a Sea Raven.

She had to get onto the ship.

Upon getting close enough to touch it, Raven hoisted herself up by a rope that had been dangling down its side, as if beckoning her to choose it for her vessel. As she pulled herself over the railing, she was immediately assaulted. Her assailant was behind her, and she was prevented from turning around by the presence of a dagger at her throat. Her breathing sped up in fear, but for some reason, as soon as her attacker spoke, she no longer felt threatened.

"I don't take kindly to trespassers, miss. You just get yourself back down that rope, and we won't have a problem." The British accent calmed Raven down significantly, to the point where she was beginning to get a smile on her lips.

The words that came out of her mouth were foreign, and Raven had no idea where they had come from. "Is that any way to treat your captain, Willis?"

"Captain? We don't have a female captain… wait… a… minute…" He trailed off. Willis spun the woman in his arms around and stared dumbfounded at her face. "Raven?" He spoke exasperatedly. "Impossible! The princess took you ages ago! What you doing back on this ship? We thought we'd lost you for good!"

"Can't get rid of me that easily." Raven grinned largely up at her first mate. As she did so, she couldn't help but wonder what the heck had gotten into her. There was a strong part of her that was utterly and completely lost with the current events. However, there was a noteworthy other side of her that felt completely at home on this ship, with this man, and with speaking these words. Her mind was completely bewildered, but her mouth kept moving without her consent. She wanted to ask how she knew this man, how she knew this ship, and what the heck was going on, but other words were popping out as if everything was completely normal.

"Are you comin' back to our Raiders, Raven? " The man asked, completely excited with the prospect.

Once again, Raven's mouth acted without approval. "As long as you can take me somewhere."

"You come on back, we go where our cap'in goes." Willis nodded dutifully.

"Well then get the group together, Will, because we're heading to Ba Sing Sae!"

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******A/N: ****I need to watch some Avatar (:**

Review? If you're still there, that is. Thanks for reading!


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